Electrotype-block-trimming machine.



E. N. GREEN.

ELECTROTYPE BLOCK TBIMMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1912.

Patented Feb. .27, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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ELECTROTYPE BLOCK TRIMMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IuLv 8. 1912.

1 ,217,297. Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

f77/Mt @www OZ UNITED STATES TENT oFnIcE.

EDWIN N. GREEN, OF-SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ELECTROTYPE-BLOCK-TRIMMING MACHINE.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

Application led July 8, 1912. Serial-No. 708,222.

are too high or too'low or are warped; and

the invention consists in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan of my machine.

Fig. 2 is a sectionalview on line A-A Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view, parts being'removed on line B-B, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail view, partly broken away, of the clamping means for holding the block on the bed.

Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating the opposing centers 'of the means for holding the block on the bed.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustratingthe inclination of the axis of the cutter head.

This machine for trimming the wooden blocks and metal bases of printing plates comprises, generally, a frame, a bed and planing means supported by the frame and having relative feeding movement, means for actuating the planing means and for effecting the relative feeding movement of the planing means and the bed, and means for holding the block to be trimmed on the bed whereby the block after having been planed and removed can be again replaced in the holding means in exactly the same position previously occupied and again trimmed if additional trimming is necessary.

1 is the base of the frame, the base having feet 2 by which it can be `attached to the pressmans bench, and being formed with ways 3. 4 are uprights at opposite sides of the base, and 5 is a bridge or strut connectv ing the uprights and supporting a central bearing composed of two sections 6 spacedapart.

7 is the bed for supporting the blocks as 8, the bed being here shown as movable along the ways 3 relatively'to the planing head 9,

which is here shown as rotatable and having a spindle 10 journaled inl a sleeve 11 in the bearlng 6, the head 9 carrying a planing knife 12. The axis of the bearing 6l and spindle 10 is inclined slightly toward the bed 1 out of a vertical line. This inclination is very slight as illustrated in Fig. 6 and is in such direction that the knife 12 is at its lowest level when cutting. The inclination is, however, so slight that the knife 12 sweeps across the block in the horizontal line so as to remove the layer of equal width throughout and not a layer which is appreciably thicker at its center, which would be the case if the inclination were greater.

13 is a driving wheel journaled in a bearing supported by the base 1 of the frame and connected to the spindle 10 to rotate the same, and also to the bed 7 to feed the bed.

In the illustrated form of my invention, the power-transmitting means between the driving wheel and the spindle comprises an endless belt 14 movable around the periphery of the wheel 13 and around pulleys 15 supported by one of the uprights 4 of the frame and around a pulley 16 at the upper end of the spindle.

The head 9 is movable axially by means of a hand-operated internally-threaded adjusting wheel 17 located between the sections of the bearing 6 and coacting with the externally-threaded surface of the sleeve 11, the sleeve 11 being movable axially with the spindle 10.

The lower end of the bearing 6 is split and clamped to fit, without binding on and also without being loose on, the sleeve 11 by a suitable screw passing through lugs, as the lug 6a, on opposite sides of the line of division ofthe bearing 6. i

The power-transmitting means, here illustrated, between the driving wheel 13 and the bed 7 comprises a belt 18 running on a pulley 19 arranged concentrically with the wheel 13 and around pulleys 20 supported by the frame near one end thereof and over the pulley 21 mounted on the rotating screw 22 ournaled in the frame and coacting with a s lit nut 23 movable with the bed 7.

Xs seen in Fig.' 3, the sections of the split nut 23 are pivoted at 24 and are normally held apart by a spring 25 and are movable together to enga e the screw by the head member 26 suita ly connected to the sections of the split nut` to operate the same. The bed is fed toward the cutter or knife by the screw 22 and is drawn outwardly by hand after the sections of the split nut have been separated. The head 26 is in the form of a wedge which enters between and separates arms 23a ofthe split nut and hence closes the split nut against the action of its spring 25. rlhe head is carried by a rod 26 slidable lengthwise of the bed 3 beneath thel same, the rod being movable with the bed and having a handle 26", Fig. 1.

The means for holding the blocks on the bed whereby the block after having been once planed and removed can again be replaced in the holding means in exactly the same position previousl occupied comprises elements 27 28 extending crosswise of the bed, one element as 27 being fixed to the bed and the other shiftable relatively thereto toward and from the element27, and pairs of centers 29, 30 carried respectively by the elements 27, 28, the centers on the element 27 being fixed and those on the element 28 being here shown as screws and the points of the centers being conical.

The lmeans for holding the shiftable clamping element from movement relatively to the bed, after having been set in position comprises clamping members 31 arranged on opposite sides of the bed 7 and engaging the ends of the member 28, and a single operating part for operating the members 31. Said members are here shown as formed with overhanging shoulders 322 Fig. 3, for engaging the shoulders 33 projecting from the end of said member 28, and is also formed with inclined cam slots 34, Fig. 4, at intervals through which fixed pins 35 project, such pins extending into the opposite side edges ofthe bed 7.

The operating part is located at the outer end of the bed 7 and is ,here shown as a rock shaft 36 having eccentrics 37 at its opposite ends which work in slots 38 at the outer ends of the clamping members 31.

As the shaft 36 is operated the members 31 will be moved endwisely and owing lto the cam slots 34 and pins 35 will bemoved downwardly to clamp the member 28 on the face of the bed when the handle 40-on the shaft 36 is swung outwardly or to the right, Fig. 4, and will release said member 28 when thel handle is'swung in the opposite direction. The handle 40 is in the form of a rock arm having a knob at its vouter. end.

The blocks of printing plates as electrotypes, vignette cuts, etcL, become warped or otherwise defective and hence will rock when placed in the printing form and must be trimmed so that they will set typel high in the form, and often the plates must be reblocked, an operation which has heretofore been performed by the electroty er and which necessitates sending the'block) to an Acan be accurate Larnaca electrotyper. Bly my invention all trimming y done by the pressman in a very short time.

My machine is particularly advantageous for trimming vignette and half-tonecuts, as such cuts have to be less than type high on the bed of the printing press in order to allow for the overlay placed on the cylinder -of the press, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, and it still further has to be lowered if the cut is innerlaid between its copper plate and the block, which is almost invariably the case; and further, after the vignette has been innerlaid, owing to the 'convexity of the printing surface 8@ thereof, it is necessary to reduce the thickness or height of the block by taking 0E an even shaving from the back thereof.

In trimming such vignette cuts in my machine, paper sheets of the thicknesses g5, of the overlay of the cylinder and the innerlay of the cut are placed on the bed of my machine, the cut'v placed face down, the clamping mea-ns placed contiguous to the cut, the finger screws or centers 30 turned to make indentations in opposite edges of the block so as to hold the block in the machine, the knife adjusted to, type high by means of the adjuster 17, and the machine operated to take ofi a thin shaving from the entire rear face of the block. After the shaving operation, if it is necessary to additionally innerlay the cut, it is necessary to additionally trim the block, and a sheet of paper corresponding to the thickness of the additional innerlay is taken off the bed of the machine and the cut placed back on the bed with the finger screws or centers in the same indentations as before, and the planing operation repeated. v

It will thus be seen,that the linger screws or centers guide the block to the same position as it previously occupied, thus avoiding tipping of the block, and, consequently, the planing 0H of an unevenlayer. A suit- 110 able shield 41 is provided for preventing the shavings from flying, this shield being pivoted at its opposite ends .and being movable upwardly on its pivot into engagement with the latch 42, Fig. 2, when it is desired to inspect the portion of the block being cut.

My machine is particularly advantageous in that the pressman can trim accurately or reblock his printing platesor electrotypes in a short time. In fact, any block can be bed for supporting the blocks, planing means having relative feeding movement, of means for holding the block on the bed, said means being operable to reposition the block after having been operated on and removed, in the exact position previously occupied, comprising opposing sets or points, members for holding said points, one member being adjustable bodily toward and from the other, and the points being adjustable individually relatively to said members, and means for holding the adjustable member in its adjusted position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a machine for trimming the blocks of printing plates, the combinationwith a bed lfor supporting the blocks and planing means having relative feeding movement, of

means for holding the blocks on the bed,-

comprising supporting elements mounted on the bed, one element being shiftable lengthwise of the bed, a plurality of pairs of opposing centers carried by said elements for engaging opposite edges of the.blocks, and means for clamping the shiftable element on the face of the bed, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a machine for trimming the blocks vof printing plates, .the .combination with a bed for supporting the blocks and planing means having relative feeding movement, of means for holding the blocks on the bed comprising supporting elements mounted on the bed, one element being shiftable lengthwise of the bed, a plurallty of pairs of opposing lcenters carried by said elements for.

engaglng the opposite edges of the block, and means for clamping the shiftable element to the face of the bed, the clamping means comprising members located at opposite sides of the bed for coacting with opposite ends of themembers, and a single operating part located at one end of the bed for said members, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. A machine for trimming the blocks of rinting plates, the combination with abed or supporting the blocks and planing means having relative feedin movement, of means for holding the block 1n the bed comprisin supporting elementsv mounted on the be one element being shiftable len hwise of the bed, a plurallty of'pairs o opposing centers for engaging the opposite edges of the block carried by the elements, and means for clamping the s hiftable elementg to the face of the bed, the clamping means comprisin members coacting with opposite ends of sai element and having cam. slots at intervals, and being movable lengthwise of the bed, fixed pins extending through the slots and into the side edges of the bed, and means for moving said members lengthwise comprising a rotary part located at one end of the bed and having eccentric pins at its opposite ends coacting with said members, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 1

`5. In a machine for trimming the blocks of printing plates, the combination with a bed for supporting the blocks and planing means having relative feeding movement, of means for holding the block in the bed, comprising supporting elements mounted on the bed, one element being movable lengthwise of the'bed, a plurality of pairs of opposing centers carried by said elements for engaging opposite edges of the block, the shiftable element having shoulders projecting from its ends', clamping members located on opposite sides of the bed and having overhanging shoulders for coacting with, the shoulders of said element, the clamping members being formed with cam slots, fixed pins extending through the cam slots into the edges of the bed and an operating part for the clamping members, said part being located at one end of the bed and being movable about an axis and having eccentrics at its opposite ends for coacting with said members to move the same endwise, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In a machine for trimming blocks, the combination of a bed for supporting the blocks, and planing means having relative feeding movement one toward and from the other in the direction of the face of the bed, the planing means, including a rotating head having a cutter located near the outer margin of the head and being spaced apart from the axis of the head whereby the cutter removes a narrow shaving, the head being arranged with its axis inclined out of a line of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 22nd day of April, 1912.

' EDWIN N. GREEN. Witnesses:

L. M. DAVIS, S. Davis. 

